Raynors HCA 2019-01
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 2/21/2019
War-date Union officer letter group written by Colonel Charles William Tilden, 2nd Maine Infantry and 16th Maine Infantry, POW at Gettysburg, escaped Libby Prison 2/9/1864, later breveted brigadier general. This letter group consist of five (5) multipage letters, includes: “...[5/25/62 Barkers Mills, Va.] We passed many beautiful plantations deserted by the Rebs, on some the grain was all headed out & presented a fine appearance. Others were still occupied by the owners & guarded by our troops. The houses & buildings on almost all the plantations are of an inferior character, irregularly constructed, presenting a far different appearance from the neat cottages on many of our ‘down east farms.’...Two of our Regiment having rather a roaming disposition went a little too far day before yesterday in exploring the country & found themselves in ‘Seceshdom’ where I presume they were taken prisoners as they have not since been seen. They were members of Company G....[5/7/62 Yorktown] Yorktown is in our possession and our forces, the most of them, are in hot pursuit of the enemy. Our Brigade came out to this place yesterday & last evening had orders to have four days cooked rations & be ready to embark this morning...we are to go up the river to West Point & from there to Richmond...[6/1/62 Near New Bridge] I suppose I might give you many more details relating to the battle fo the 27th inst...I felt very much exhausted myself when I came back to camp. We were obliged to march some fifteen miles, and I could not feel like remaining behind, altho, I was not in afit condition to march. I made out, however, to get up with our Regiment before it went into action. During the three days, we marched some thirty miles....[6/8/62 Near New Bridge] It must have been a dark day in Castine as I learn that Capt. Sylvester was buried on that day & the death of Capt. Stevens, together with the receipt of the partially incorrect news of the battle must have made it gloomy to those who have friends in this war, as well as to those of the deceased at home...we have great reason to be thankful that it is no worse & that so many of us were saved from the destructive fire of the enemy, who evidently intended to make prisoners of those of us that escaped their fire. It was Providential certainly that we escaped as we did, & that victory crowned our efforts, coming in contact with a force so much superior to our own...Present appearances indicate that it is Genl. McClellan’s intention to pursue somewhat similar course as at Yorktown from the fact that he has ordered foward his seige train, & there is considerable work being done on the right & left of our lines...[6/22/62 Near New Bridge]It was discovered that we were (our Brigade) to go to Mechanicsville to relieve a force there doing picket duy. We arrived there just at break of day after marching a distance of some five miles. Found the place which consists of some ten or twelve dwelling houses, blacksmith shop, mill & deserted by the inhabitants & the place showing the effects of the battle there some days since, chimneys knocked dow by cannon shot & shell, houses riddled with shot...” Much more. Fine condition.
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